


Too Early or Too Late

by purpledragon42



Category: Dorian Gray (2009)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-21 22:28:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9569513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purpledragon42/pseuds/purpledragon42
Summary: The infamous kiss told from Basil's point of view.





	

It wasn’t often that Basil intentionally frequented parties attended by Dorian…or Harry, for that matter. Not anymore. Of course, the fact that they traveled in the same circles made any actual avoidance nigh impossible. These days, when they spoke to him, it was easy enough to act as if nothing was wrong…as if he found their antics only amusingly upsetting rather than deplorable. A part of him longed to pull Dorian aside, to sequester him away somewhere until he began to realize the consequences of his actions. But he was too afraid…afraid of being shunned…of losing Dorian all together. Because as much as he despised what his friend had become under Harry’s influence, he still couldn’t tear himself from the younger man…not entirely. The thought pained him far too much. Basil wasn’t entirely a fool. He’d recognized the moment when his fascination for his muse had become something more…something society would never allow. And then he’d buried it as deep as he could.

Tonight’s masquerade was the first exception Basil had made in a long time. It was Dorian’s birthday, after all. He could hardly ignore the invitation. Plus, it would give him an opportunity to talk to his friend about allowing him to borrow the portrait he’d painted. The artist had been granted an art show in Paris, and he still believed his painting of the younger man to be the best work he’d ever done. Unfortunately, the party was barely under way when Dorian publicly informed him that he wouldn’t be giving up the painting. Basil was at a loss. He couldn’t understand why the other was so unwilling to part with it. Part of him wanted to simply leave and be done with the whole thing, but another part hoped if he could simply get his friend alone to speak to him in private then he might be able to make him see reason.

So Basil stayed…and waited.

The party was large, and the mansion itself even more so. Losing Dorian within its halls as the evening wore on wasn’t such an odd thing. In fact, given how his friend typically conducted himself at such events, the artist couldn’t say he was surprised in the least. When Basil finally found him it was in a room filled with the sickly sweet scent of opium; his friend was draped across one woman while another crawled atop him. His chest ached at the sight…and he lost his nerve. Unfortunately, before he could flee, one of the women noticed, and all three pairs of eyes fell upon him. A part of Basil knew that talking to Dorian when he was under such influences was a bad idea…but another part hoped it might make his friend more compliant to the notion of giving up the painting for a little while…so he took his chance. When Dorian asked if he needed him, he said yes…and marveled when the man so willingly left the women to talk with him instead. But perhaps it was no grand gesture. After all, when it came to Dorian Gray, there would always be more women.

So they moved away from the opium-laced room, talking lightly at first before Basil buckled down and got to the point. “That picture is my finest work and it would be greatly appreciated if you…”

Dorian interrupted before he could finish, placing a hand on his shoulder to turn him around. “The greatest gift that anyone could ever have given.” Basil could see the haze of the drugs in the other’s eyes, hear it in his voice as he practically draped himself across Basil and continued. “In fact…In fact, I wish that I could tell you just how great.”

The artist tried to ignore how close his friend was, tried to stay calm despite the nearness of his face…the scent of his cologne…the soft hand cupping the back of his neck. “But then it isn’t so unreasonable to borrow it back a little while…” he protested with a soft laugh that was born mostly of nerves.

Dorian’s hands continued to move…to pluck at his jacket…caress his neck…move down to rest on his hip. “I’m not sure that I’ve ever…fully expressed my gratitude.”

It was hard to breathe. Basil stared into the other’s eyes, searching, confused…and trying to find something he knew would never be there. Quickly - to save himself from doing something foolish, he spoke. “I hardly think…” And then Dorian’s hand was between his legs, squeezing gently…and Basil barely had time to gasp before the other man’s lips were crushed against his.

_Oh…god…!_

Was this happening?! The artist stared in shock as his friend pulled back. What should he do? His brain wasn’t…he couldn’t…! Dorian moved towards him again and Basil made a half-hearted attempt to pull back as lips were brushed lightly against his own before being taken away again. When the other moved toward him a third time, Basil didn’t try to escape it. His mind might still be in shock over what was happening…but his body knew…and when warm lips brushed against his jaw…his neck…Basil tilted to give the other better access. This time when his friend pulled back, the older man looked at him anew. To be wanted by the one who stood before him…it was a dream he'd felt certain would never be realized…but the look in Dorian’s eyes seemed to say otherwise. And the artist couldn’t help himself…this time it was him doing the kissing…putting only a fraction of the passion he felt into the gesture.

The other man returned the kiss for a moment before Basil felt hands pushing him down to his knees. He complied without any thought, looking up at his friend as a supplicant might. Nervous, but eager. Eyes flickered down as Dorian began to unbutton his trousers…then the other knelt to join him…pushing Basil back into the pillows that decorated the floor. The other’s lips were on him in earnest then as hands began to remove his jacket. Basil couldn’t think. His mind swirled with what was happening, intoxicated by the heat of the body above him. His hands joined Dorian’s trying to get rid of clothes…undoing the other’s neck tie, unbuttoning the waistcoat with ease, fingers eager to touch bare flesh. A moan left his lips. He’d wanted this for so very long…dreamed of what it would be like…

Yes. So long. But then…why now? As his friend’s lips trailed over his skin, the artist’s self-doubt kicked in. _You know why. The portrait. He’s trying to distract you…make you forget. Is this what you want to be to him? Just another fuck?_

Basil went rigid. No matter how badly he wanted this he couldn’t allow it to happen. “S-stop! Dorian! Just…stop!” It took all of Basil’s strength and willpower to push the other man away. “Enough! I won’t…I don’t want this…” He was breathing hard, and couldn’t look the other man in the eye. “Go back to your party.” There was the slightest hint of pain in his voice, but the artist hid it well. “I’m sure your guests are missing you.” With bravery he didn’t feel he finally met the other’s eyes, confronting the unreadable expression he found there. Dorian said nothing…he simply stood, redid his trousers, and walked away. The artist let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. His eyes followed the other man as he headed back downstairs, watching as he began to dance…and wishing (not for the first time) that he didn’t care so damn much.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my Basil RP blog on 10/31/2016. 
> 
> Here’s just a little bit of my thought process into why I think this is what happened during that particular scene. I know most people who’ve seen the movie think one of two things happened: a) that Basil and Dorian slept together, or b) that Basil gave Dorian a blow job. Personally - based off of clues in the movie - I think the scenario depicted above is far more likely.
> 
> First off - yes, Dorian pushes Basil to his knees and then proceeds to undo his own pants, but as the camera’s cutting away we also see Dorian sinking to the floor, as well. Doesn’t mean a blow job couldn’t still have happened…it just makes the positioning a little more iffy, and my personal theory a little more likely. 
> 
> Second - As Dorian joins Basil on the floor, the camera immediately cuts to the party. There’s no obvious passage of time indicated. However, less than 30 seconds later we see Dorian downstairs rejoining his guests. We know the incident with Basil took place upstairs because we later see Basil coming down the stairs as he fixes his jacket back in place.
> 
> Third - The only difference in Dorian’s attire when he joins the party is that his necktie is undone, his waistcoat has been fully unbuttoned, and his shirt is partially open to expose his chest. To me - this suggests nothing more than fumbling touches and heavy petting between himself and Basil. This seems confirmed further when the camera cuts to Basil a little later and we see him with nothing more than his dinner jacket off, looking disheveled. 
> 
> So, given the time frame indicated, and given the state of their clothes I can only conclude one of four things: 1) Dorian and Basil had the fastest round of sex known to man. 2) Dorian has no stamina &/or Basil is REALLY good with his mouth. 3) Nothing really happened. 4) The movie did a lousy job showing the passage of time.
> 
> I think it’s obvious from my story, why the 3rd option makes the most sense to me. Basil may be in love, but he’s not stupid. He knows Dorian is using the one thing the artist wants most (himself) to get him to stop asking about the painting. At first he’s too shocked by the kiss to do much thinking, but as things continue, the idea settles in his head and Basil (being the romantic that he is) doesn’t want Dorian if that’s the only reason his friend wants him. So (with extraordinary willpower) he manages to refuse Dorian and leaves the party in order to cool off and not be tempted further. Personally, I could easily see Basil going to a molly-house to take the edge off. The man wasn’t a saint, after all. Why he returns to Dorian’s house later is probably a whole other story all on its own.


End file.
